Three-dimensional imaging and display system

Abstract

A three-dimensional imaging and display system is provided in which user input is optically detected in an imaging volume by measuring the path length of an amplitude modulated scanning beam as a function of the phase shift thereof. Visual image user feedback concerning the detected user input is presented.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for detecting a user input in a three-dimensional volume, the method comprising:
 optically detecting a user input in an imaging volume; 
 compensating for parallax in the optically detected user input as a function of a scan coordinate defined by a mirror system position and the measured distance from the mirror system to a target object; and 
 presenting visual image user feedback concerning the optically detected user input. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 calibrating for parallax; and 
 providing a lookup table that has information relating to one or more prior parallax compensation. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein compensating for parallax comprises:
 installing a bottom reference plane; 
 adjusting the deflection angle (∂,β) of a scanning beam to target a selected target object in the bottom reference plane; 
 determining x0, y0, z0, and L 0 , where:
 the coordinate (x0,y0,z0) is the location at which the scanning beam is reflected from the target object in the bottom reference plane; and 
 LO is the distance the scanning beam travels to the target object in the bottom reference plane; 
 
 saving values for x0, y0, z0, and L 0  in a lookup table for later retrieval; 
 repeating the adjusting, determining, and saving for other deflection angles with respect to other target objects in the bottom reference plane; 
 uninstalling the bottom reference plane; 
 installing a top reference plane; 
 adjusting the deflection angle (∂,β) of a scanning beam to target a selected target object in the top reference plane; 
 determining x1, y1, z1, and L 1 , where:
 the coordinate (x1,y1,z1) is the location at which the scanning beam is reflected from the target object in the top reference plane; and 
 L 1  is the distance the scanning beam travels to the target object in the top reference plane; 
 
 saving values for x1, y1, z1, and L 1  in a lookup table for later retrieval; 
 with respect to other target objects in the top reference plane, repeating the adjusting, determining, and saving for other deflection angles; and 
 uninstalling the top reference plane. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  comprising displaying and manipulating virtual objects located in a three-dimensional imaging volume in response to virtual interactions with the virtual objects, the virtual objects being derived from the detected user input, wherein the objects are manipulated to move, scale, or rotate, wherein the objects are displayed as three-dimensional images. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  comprising displaying externally provided images. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein optically detecting comprises optically detecting with invisible light. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  comprising tracking one or more user's heads. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 imaging a user's head in the imaging volume; and 
 mapping the image of the user's head to at least one interface related function. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 imaging one or more user hand gestures in the imaging volume; and 
 mapping the one or more hand gestures to one or more interface related functions. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 detecting whether a user is sitting in front of a display; 
 identifying which user is present; and saving power when the user is not present. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1  comprising measuring a size of one or more objects. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1  comprising substituting or replacing images. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1  comprising painting and following a moveable object as it moves. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1  comprising generating an interactive virtual keyboard. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 detecting one or more object types from the optically detected user input; and associating one or more predetermined functions to the one or more object types. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1  comprising customizing a three-dimensional display environment. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1  comprising:
 detecting elements of the user input with watershed segmentation; 
 tracking individual and relative movements and positions of the elements of the user input; and 
 mapping the tracked movements and positions to predetermined functions. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1  wherein presenting comprises displaying the visual image user feedback as a three-dimensional image. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1  wherein one or more mirrors of the mirror system operate on a mechanical resonant frequency. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 1  wherein one or more visual images are presented on an auxiliary display.